Introduction

Retinal detachment A macular hole isa small gap that opens up at the centre of the retina,in an area called the macula.

The retina is the light-sensitive film at the back of the eye. Inthe centre isthe macula the part responsible for central andfine detail vision needed for tasks such as reading.

In the early stages, a macular hole can cause blurred and distorted vision. Straight lines may look wavy or bowed, and you may have trouble reading small print.

After a while, you may see a small black patch or a "missing patch" in the centre of your vision. You won't feel any pain and the condition doesn't lead to a total loss of sight.

Surgery is usually needed to repair the hole (see below). This is often successful, but you need to be aware of the possible complications of treatment. Your vision will never completely return to normal, but it's usually improved by having surgery.

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 16 Jun 2015